Buy a battery for your Saab 900 with the highest Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) that you can afford as the extra cold cranking amps should help with starting your car in the winter.
I have had a good experience with using an Optimia Red Top battery (Size 25) in my SPG. After rebuilding my engine and installing a new transmission my old battery died at the inspection station. I was embarrassed and didn’t like the feeling of being helpless. Besides I had a great looking car with a newly rebuilt engine and the old battery was making me look like I didn’t know what I was doing. I went out and purchased an Optima Red Top battery and it has worked great. This past winter I didn’t drive my Saab but I started it once per week to move it on the street and it started every time all winter in cold temperatures. Don’t get the Optima Red Top battery with side terminals as they can short out on the body of the car! The size 25 Optima is the one that I used.
Comparison Shop Online.
Buy the battery online and pickup in store. I got this tip from a manager at a local auto parts store. Most auto parts store rarely run in store specials on batteries because they know when you need a battery that it is an absolute necessity. Many of the large auto parts stores offer discount coupons online and many times you can apply these coupons to your battery purchase online. Buy the battery online with the coupon and choose to pick it up at your local auto parts store. I have done this before with Advance Auto Parts with good results as they usually have coupons online. Sometimes the store will install the battery for you for free and don’t forget to give them your old battery to get money back for the core charge.
Get a battery with a warranty. Some battery manufacturers will have a warranty on their batteries, and sometimes the store that sells the battery will even have warranty as well. Make sure you save the reciept and read the fine print on the warranty. Most battery warrantys are free replacement for a certain time period and pro-rated after that period. If it goes dead after a short time you might be able to get a new battery, after the free replacement period you might be able to get some of the money back but not a full replacement, and if it goes dead after a the pro-rated period you probably wont get anything. Lets face it, all batteries will go dead eventually. Make sure you know the terms of the warranty so there won’t be any surprises later. Know when the full warranty expires and if that battery is starting to give you trouble before then go back to the parts store and have them test it before the free replacement period ends.
Get the felt battery post protectors. They help prevent your battery post terminals from corrdoding and they are cheap.
Check the alternator before buying a new battery. An alternator that is not charging the battery when you are driving will lead to a dead battery. If you have a dead or dying alternator and you put in a new battery, the new battery will die very quickly. Most large chain auto stores will check your alternator for you.
Check for a voltage drain before buying a new battery. Sometimes there can be an electrical fault that is causing a drain on your battery even when the car is off. This will kill even a new battery so make sure that a voltage drain isn’t causing your battery in the first place. Solve the voltage drain before getting a new battery.
Clean the engine grounds and battery cables with a small wire brush before you get your new battery. Corroded engine grounds can cause a large number of strange electrical problems, prevent the battery from receiving full current, and can even prevent your car from starting. Make sure the grounds are cleaned with a wire brush.
Don’t use that battery terminal spray that prevents corrosion. I hate that stuff. It can make it more difficult to jump start your car if it is ever needed. Just clean off your battery terminals occasionally with a small wire brush, and use the felt battery post protectors. Regular maintenance beats out shortcuts every time.
Have long jumper cables in the trunk. I cringe at the thought of having my car jump started by a complete stranger only to realize that the jumper cables are too short and they have to inch even closer to my Saab in order to jump the battery. Save yourself a from a mild heart attack and get long jumper cables just in case.
